From the Sidelines

More reasons to let kids be kids

    During the holiday seasons, do you lament that your kids loves the boxes more than the toys inside? Don't!
    In this essay at Frog Design Laura Sergent Richardson explains why play and imagination are important resources for kids to develop and adults to have.  My kids love to build with Legos and Lincoln Logs how about yours?

Gwen Stefani’s boys show off their style in World Tour Shirt

You know a celeb has style when they dress their kids in Wes & Willy t-shirts. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale show off theirs at Thanksgiving.  Sporting the World Tour long sleeve tee, Gwen and Gavin’s boys Kingston and Zuma are on their way to a turkey dinner in one of the coolest t-shirts available this fall. See all the pics at CelebrityBabyScoop.com.

Want a Quiet Car Ride this Holiday?

 

While driving over the river and through the woods, keep your kids from asking "Are we there yet?" by offering one of these "delightful" Thanksgiving dishes (yes, they are real, but not very kid friendly). I rank these up there with the Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger and Deep Fried Snickers.

 

 

Turducken “What is turducken? It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is then stuffed inside a turkey. The term turducken comes from the combination of tur(key), duck, and (chick)en. It is fast becoming a popular recipe for Thanksgiving.” Really? Popular with whom?

 

           

Avocado Gelatin Turkey Nothing says Thanksgiving like green, turkey-shaped food.

 

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake  I know all food goes to the same place once you eat it, but shouldn’t it mostly start in different places?

CoolMomPicks.com Reviews Red 21 Boys

    One of our favorite review sites here at Red21 HQ is CoolMomPicks.com and has been a while.  So when they offered to do a review of Red21Boys, Momma J nearly fell out of her chair with excitement.

    So here's the review.  Like it, love it, or hate it, tells us what you think and then hop over to Cool Mom Picks and let them know.

Red21Boys.com - The motherlode of cool boys clothes

Twelve Tips to a Fun and Safe Halloween

    My kids love Halloween.  They can’t wait to transform themselves into princesses and goblins so they can wander the neighborhood trolling for candy.  It’s also one of my favorite holidays, but, as a parent, there is always some anxiety about little kids, costumes, and candy.  Are they warm enough, is it a safe to go out?  So, if you’re like me, here’s a list of tips to answer these questions and make this night fun.

• Haunting the House
  • Kids love to get in the decorating action and it is a great idea to let them.  Just make sure that if you are stringing up lights or other electrical decorations, that their cords are in good condition and you are not overloading any sockets.
  • It’s always a special treat for kids to light the jack o’ lanterns.  It’s safest and least stressful to use electric substitutes or glow sticks instead of candles.
  • Picking out their costumes is the first treat of the season.  Try to steer your kids toward bright costumes, but if they’ve gone with a darker one, use reflective tape so they are more visible at night.
  • I try to choose make-up to masks whenever possible.  If we are using make-up, I have my kids draw out what they want their make-up to look like for Halloween and follow their sketch as best as I can.
  • Give each little ghost its own glow stick or flashlight. They can make spooky faces and shadows while hunting for candy and be seen by traffic.
• On the Prowl
  • If trick or treating with small children, make sure they have adult supervision and stay in large groups.  There is always safety in numbers. 
  • Plan your route, meeting location, length of tick or treating, and what to do if separated. Tell your little monsters to avoid alleys and shortcuts, and not to accept rides with anyone. 
  • Visit well-lit homes with decorations, in familiar neighborhoods.  If you have to walk too far or there are too few houses in your neighborhood, consider having a party instead.
  • Make sure your little ghosts follow all the rules for pedestrian traffic (cross at lights, use crosswalks, etc.) and watch for cars.
  • Remind your goblins to stay on sidewalks, and not to cut through yards.  Even vampires respect other’s property.
• The Sugar Score
  • Always say thank you (even if the dentist is giving out toothbrushes).
  • Parents must check candy before consuming for damaged, unwrapped items.  Although tampering doesn’t happen often, it does happen.

What’s Your Child’s Favorite Style?

            My son’s a casual rocker.  What’s that you ask?  He loves to wear casual and comfortable clothes, such as jeans and cargos with rock ‘n’ roll themes.  I love the fact that he picks out denim and 2 in 1 shirts from Wes and Willy when he gets up in the morning.  Why does this matter?  It tells me that their boys clothing is comfortable and cozy. I also know from this that the graphics and styles aren’t too cutesy for him. He’ll wear them out to the park or to hang out with his friends.

            My daughter is the same way, but more of a princess. In the morning, her first outfit of choice is the soft yoga pants with a tissue tee or basic tank.  You wouldn’t think she would tumble in the yard with her friends in pink cozy pants, but once the games begin the tomboy comes out.  Fortunately for us, the GRL 98 line of girls clothes by Wes & Willy are not only soft enough for a little princess, but durable and long lasting letting her run with her brother and cousins.

            What’s your child’s style?  Is he a sports fanatic or likes to be comfortably dressed up? Is she a tomboy or princess? Tell us your child’s style her or at our Facebook page, we’d love to hear from you.

            This week, Red 21 Boys and Pink 21 Girls have our favorite style of girls and boys clothing on sale.  You can find some of our favorite styles at a great discount.

T-Shirt Trivia

            We all have them.  Worn in and frayed edge tees that we beat around the house on a Saturday morning in.  Plain white crewneck, a v-neck with a sports or band logo, everyone has a fav.  We all have them and kids love them.  Mine in particular love to throw on their favorite sports tees and head out for pick up games in the park.  Kids wear them everyday, but do you know when the t-shirt began?  Here are a few tid-bits of  trivia on the beloved tee.

• Developed from cutting the one-piece undergarment “union suit” of the 19^th century into a top and bottom.
• Became popular with the U.S. Navy during the Spanish American War
• Gained popularity during World War II with American soldiers in Europe clothed in traditional undergarments whose European counterparts wearing much more comfortable in lighter t-shirts
• Get their name (you guessed it) from its shape
• Although part of casual wear post World War II, it was Marlon Brando who elevated the tee to popular fashion
• The first screen printed shirts appeared in the 1950’s

 

Do you have a long-lived and loved tee?  Do you have a favorite shirt that you just can’t part with (or some one else’s you can’t get rid of)?  Share your story here, we would love to hear from you!

Elastic Waist vs. Adjustable Waist: Which Fits Best

When it comes to boys and girls jeans, you have many choices for style, color, and cut.  Shoppers will consider all of these to find the perfect pair.  However, what’s often overlooked, especially when shopping online, are the different waist styles that are available in kids jeans. Fortunately, with denim pants, you have a few choices, and Wes & Willy uses the two best that are out there: full elastic and adjustable.  We will give you a brief explanation and pros and cons of each so when you are shopping next time, you can pick the best for your little shoppers.

    Full Elastic Waist:  Often referred to as pull-on-pants, elastic waist are a great option for kids who have trouble with buttons and snaps.  They are cut looser and kids seem to like the comfort. Make sure whatever brand you buy, that the fabric covers the outside and inside so your child doesn’t get pinched as the elastic expands and contracts.

    Adjustable Waist: A more recent development, the adjustable waist takes the finished, fitted look of basic fixed waist jeans and allows for minor waist adjustments.  This is done with an elastic band on the inside of the pant that either snaps or buttons into place so you can tighten of loosen the waist of the jeans.

   

    Join the discussion and tell us what your favorite waist is for your boys and girls.  What do your kids like best?  Which do they seem to choose time after time?  Whether it is full elastic, adjustable or fixed, post it here or join the discussion on our Facebook

My Son Can Tie Himself to the Goal Post. What Can Yours Do?

Well, summer’s over.  Labor Day came and went, school’s started, and the rush of fall activities has begun.  Between music, dance, and sports, my kids seem to have somewhere to be every day.  I enjoy sitting with the other parents at the games watching the young kids on the field.  It is always a treat to see them learning the rules and having fun at the same time. One of the highlights of the time spent at practices and games is watching some of the crazier things that kids do! 

One of the team dads told me this story.  His son was 5 or 6 and playing goalie for his soccer team.  His team had been at the other end of the field for a while, so, apparently, he got a little bored.  He had been leaning against the goal post playing with the net when the other team kicked the ball toward his goal.  Unfortunately, instead of watching for the ball, he managed to get his shirt tangled up in the net.  With the goalie securely attached to the goal post, the other team had had a wide-open shot to the goal.  Luckily, the half ended before they could score and the goalie was quickly freed.  For the rest of the game, he watched the game a little closer and stayed clear of the octopus-like net.

If you have stories about your kids tying themselves to the goalpost, eating grass on the field, or watching a helicopter as the other team dribbles past, please let us know.  I’m sure you have some funny stories of your own!

We would love to hear from you.

The Design's in the Details (Part 3): Embellishments

    In the first two posts in this series, I talked about the quality and comfort of fabric and the detail and durability screen prints.  Embellishments are another aspect of high quality children’s clothing.  They are used to decorate and enhance any garment. Although “embellishment” is commonly used to refer to gems, studs, or rhinestones, I use it here to refer to an appliqué, patch, or any addition to the clothing that makes it stand out from the rest.  Here are a few examples of clothes that Red 21 Boys/Pink 21 Girls carry with embellishments that make the piece pop and your child show off his style. 

Patches and Screens: One of the things I love to see on kids’ clothes is the use of different textures.  The Pitching Ace T-Shirt by Wes and Willy is one that uses this combination and does it well.  What really makes this crewneck design jump out is not just the patches, but the complimentary colors on the screen printing and stitching as well.  Take away any one of these, and the design loses something.  

   

    Contrasting Stitching: Whether it is the hem of a pair of denim or an appliqué on a long sleeve tee, contrasting stitching makes the difference between an ordinary extraordinary design.  You can find contrasting stitching on many styles by Wes and Willy who has won numerous awards for their boy’s line. The bright orange stitching on the navy peace sign on this fall’s Peace 2 in 1 Raglan makes the appliqué jump off the heather background.      

    Contrasting stitching and the paring of patches and screens are just a few of the many ways designers of kids’ clothes make their styles stand out from the crowd.  If you have a good example of an embellishment let me know.  I’d love to share it with the Red 21 community.